Bicycle MechanicsBroken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

I know this is simple, I hate going to the gas station and paying for air. But I've had bike tire pumps that didn't really do the trick. I need an air pump that I can keep at home and will not make me work too hard to get 80 lbs. before I head out the door.

You can do several different things to get air...which I have. First and most expensive, you can get a compressor; this little baby will also allow me do to other things that I need to have for besides air up tires.

The next costly thing you could buy is a floor pump but then only be limited to bicycle tires; regardless don't get a cheap one because they only last maybe a year; I have Torelli but there are other's just as good.

The next thing which is cheaper then a good floor pump and work very well, is a cheap $20 or so car lighter powered compressor. I carry one in both cars in case of car tire flats, but also use it to inflate my bicycle tires and they can easily go to 120psi.

For compressors, either the big house ones or the little car lighter powered jobs you need a schrader to presta converter, they cost $1! Just make sure you get the brass ones and not the plastic junk type. I leave my converter on the front wheel which I sure some will cringe at the thought of all that "weight" rotating around, but it balances out the weight on the opposite end created by the computer magnet.

I have a compressor and a presta convertor (a brass one) but for some reason I can't seem to inflate the tires on my road bike with it. Seems that the pin in my inflator head is too stiff or something. Is there a trick to getting this to work or should I just keep using my floor pump?

Are you first loosening the Presta valve then burping it to let some air out BEFORE putting the converter on? Other then that you shouldn't have any problems, the air chuck just slips on like you would doing a car tire or mtb tire.

Since I leave my converter on I use it as a valve cap, so I have to remove it first, loosen the presta valve, burp it, put the converter back on, then when done take the converter back off, tighten the valve down, and then put the converter back on.

I have a compressor and a presta convertor (a brass one) but for some reason I can't seem to inflate the tires on my road bike with it. Seems that the pin in my inflator head is too stiff or something. Is there a trick to getting this to work or should I just keep using my floor pump?

+1 to what froze said, bump the valve. Presta's often stick. Presta's are pressure activated and not spring like Shraeder's. If you don't unstick the presta it often will not unstick from pump pressure. I have put them up to 150# and they still would not open.

1+ for the irony of using your car to pump up bike tires. I make sure my tires are at 120 psi at least weekly. Not too lazy to bike to work, but too lazy to pump up my tires by hand.

I knew someone who used a car tire pump for their bicycle tire. They had to work hard to get the tire up to 80 lbs. At least until the bottom of the pump blew off. Scared the crap out of him. You need a bicycle pump. They are skinnier to allow for greater pressure. Mine has the pressure gauge built in. Each time I top off my tires it only takes 2 or 3 pumps to get back to 100-105 lbs.

Too lazy to pump up tires? Easier to pump up the tires than to fix pinch flats. And only takes 2 minutes to do 2 tires.

I knew someone who used a car tire pump for their bicycle tire. They had to work hard to get the tire up to 80 lbs. At least until the bottom of the pump blew off. Scared the crap out of him. You need a bicycle pump. They are skinnier to allow for greater pressure. Mine has the pressure gauge built in. Each time I top off my tires it only takes 2 or 3 pumps to get back to 100-105 lbs.

Too lazy to pump up tires? Easier to pump up the tires than to fix pinch flats. And only takes 2 minutes to do 2 tires.

What kind of car pump are you talking about? I've never seen, not that there may be one that exist, a "car" pump that couldn't easily get to 120psi. My stupid little Wallyworld 12 volt $18 car pump is rated to 250psi...do you think that's enough to pump a bike tire to 120psi? It pumps mine up to that without a struggle. Oh, and the car pump has a guage...though it's not accurate but I know how far it's off; what do you expect for $18!!!!

What kind of car pump are you talking about? I've never seen, not that there may be one that exist, a "car" pump that couldn't easily get to 120psi. My stupid little Wallyworld 12 volt $18 car pump is rated to 250psi...do you think that's enough to pump a bike tire to 120psi? It pumps mine up to that without a struggle. Oh, and the car pump has a guage...though it's not accurate but I know how far it's off; what do you expect for $18!!!!

He may be referring to cheap emergency hand pumps for cars that are designed to move alot of air at lower pressure. The one I saw IIRC was short and had a 3 or 4x sized barrel. I have not seen one in awhile and think there are mostly car adapter electric pumps anymore.